Rubber band gun, method of use, and method of assembly

ABSTRACT

A toy gun having a pair of sides are joined together using a number of pins inserted through pin holes passing through the pair of sides. A trigger and a slide are sandwiched between the pair of sides and are secured therein. A pivot pin allows the trigger to be pulled rearwardly such that it presses against the slide, moving it reward as well. When this occurs, the slide moves out from between the two sides, pushing the elastic bands away from static notches located on the rear end of the sides. This causes the top-most elastic band to fire away from the gun, and the remaining elastic bands to be reseated upwardly into the next adjacent respective static notch. The elastic bands pull the trigger back into its original position, allowing for semi-automatic firing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/939,209 Filed Nov. 22, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a rubber band gun and method for use and assembly thereof, and more specifically to a rubber band launching toy gun that fires six rubber bands in rapid succession, releasing only one rubber band with each trigger pull.

2. Description of the Related Art

Elastic rubber band launching toy guns exist in many forms, ranging from very simple single shot models to extremely complex models capable of launching hundreds of elastic bands in a matter of seconds.

Traditional rubber band guns use a variety of mechanisms to hold a band in a stretched position and for releasing that band, resulting in the band being “fired” from the gun toward a target. The simplest such release mechanism uses a simple clothespin which can clasp down on the band and causes the band to be released upon depressing the pin. This results in a simple, yet limited single-fire pistol.

The most common style of elastic band launching gun uses a plastic, multi-toothed rotating wheel to release rubber bands in a controlled manor one at a time. Another type of elastic band launching gun uses a “step-up” action to move a collection of individual elastic bands up a series of notches, releasing one elastic band off of the topmost notch with each advancement of the action

More complicated rubber band guns include repeater pistols which rely upon a tooth wheel which spins as the trigger is depressed. These pistols allow for a rapid succession of shots, but each shot will only fire the band or bands as they are loaded onto the wheel. There is no way to load up additional bands for firing using the wheel mechanism alone.

Heretofore there has not been available a system or method for a rubber band gun with the advantages and features of the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an elastic rubber band launching toy gun that uses a new method to launch seven elastic bands in rapid succession using a simple assembly of only a few individual parts, and featuring a moving slide in order to mimic the action on a real hand gun. A pair of sides are joined together using a number of pins inserted through pin holes passing through the pair of sides. A trigger and a slide are sandwiched between the pair of sides and are secured therein. A pivot pin allows the trigger to be pulled rearwardly such that it presses against the slide, moving it reward as well. When this occurs, the slide moves out from between the two sides, pushing the elastic bands away from static notches located on the rear end of the sides. This causes the top-most elastic band to fire away from the gun, and the remaining elastic bands to be reseated upwardly into the next adjacent respective static notch. The elastic bands pull the trigger back into its original position, allowing for semi-automatic firing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention illustrating various objects and features thereof.

FIG. 1 is a left-side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a right-side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view thereof.

FIG. 5 is a top sectional view taken about the line of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view taken about the line of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of one half of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with a trigger element in a first position.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view thereof showing the trigger element in a second position.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a second half of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS I. Introduction and Environment

As required, detailed aspects of the present invention are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, down, front, back, right and left refer to the invention as orientated in the view being referred to. The words, “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the aspect being described and designated parts thereof. Forwardly and rearwardly are generally in reference to the direction of travel, if appropriate. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar meaning.

II. Preferred Embodiment Rubber Band Gun 2

As shown in FIGS. 1-9, an embodiment of the present invention rubber band gun 2 is formed in the shape of a 9 mm handgun. This embodiment is constructed from four main parts: a first side 4, a second side 24, a trigger 30 which includes a trigger-pull 12, and a slide 26. A main gun frame includes the first half 4 and the second half 24 which each include a handle 16, a front notch 10, a trigger guard 14, a plurality of rear notches 8 at the rear of the main gun frame including a top notch 7. A slide cavity 34 for holding a slide 26 in place is provided within the first side 4. The slide 26 has a trigger cavity 32 for receiving an upper trigger portion 30 which pivots about a pin 21 in a pin slot 20 to move the slide 26 backwards when a trigger pull 12 is pulled backwards.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the trigger-pull 12 moves backwards when pulled, rocking the trigger 30 upwards such that it pushes the slide 26 backwards. This causes a plurality of secondary rear notches 28, located at the rear of the slide 26, to push a plurality of rubber bands 6 backwards, off of the first plurality of rear notches 8, and causing the top most rubber band, originally engaged with the top notch 7, to be fired from the gun away from the front notch 10. The remaining rubber bands 6 then cause the slide 26 to be pulled back toward the front of the gun, moving the trigger pull back into its first position as shown in FIG. 7, after which the remaining rubber bands are incrementally moved upwards to the next adjacent one of the plurality of notches 8, with one being advanced to the top notch 7. This provides semi-automatic firing of the rubber bands 6 from the gun without the need for any additional rubber bands other than those to be fired from the gun.

A number of pins 19 an be used to hold the slide element 26 and trigger 30 between the first 4 and second 24 sides by passing through respective pin receivers 18 located throughout the structure of the gun. All parts could be made from any suitable material, but wood is intended to be the preferred material.

This embodiment is shaped to resemble a 9 mm handgun. The firing and resetting process from a first, loaded position to a second, fired position back to the first, loaded position is done without the need for a separate band, spring, or other trigger element specifically for pulling the trigger back to a starting, non-firing position. An ejector 22 recess is included in the second side 24 of the gun.

It is to be understood that while certain embodiments and/or aspects of the invention have been shown and described, the invention is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects. 

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
 1. A toy gun comprising: a gun frame comprising a first half and a second half, said first half comprising a slide cavity configured to receive a slide; said slide comprising a trigger cavity configured to house an upper portion of a trigger element, said trigger element further comprising a trigger-pull extending down and out from between said first half and said second half; each of said first half and said second half comprising a respective rear end of said gun frame including a corresponding plurality of static notches, with a corresponding single front notch located at a front end of said gun frame; a plurality of elastic projectiles configured to be stretched between said front notch and plurality of said static notches, wherein each respective static notch receives a single elastic projectile; said slide further comprising a plurality of slide notches; said trigger configured to move said slide from a first position rearwardly to a second position when said trigger-pull is pulled rearward, such that said plurality of slide notches are positioned internally between said first half and second half in said first position and such that said plurality of slide notches are positioned externally from said first half and second half in said second position; wherein said plurality of slide notches are configured to eject a top-most of said plurality of elastic projectiles in a forward velocity away from said front notch and to advance all remaining of said plurality of elastic projectiles amongst said plurality of static notches; and wherein said trigger element is reset to said first position by said plurality of elastic projectiles only, and no other element is used to reset said trigger member to said loaded position, and all elastic projectiles are capable of being fired semi-automatically.
 2. The toy gun of claim 1, wherein said toy gun is modeled after a 9 mm handgun.
 3. The toy gun of claim 2, wherein said second half includes a recess configured to resemble an ejector.
 4. The toy gun of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of pin receivers comprised of holes passing through said first half and said second half; and a plurality of pins configured to be inserted through said plurality of pin receivers such that said first half and said second half are joined, and such that said slide and said trigger element are secured between said first side and said second side.
 5. The toy gun of claim 1, further comprising: a pivot pin inserted through a pivot pin receiver comprised of a hole passing through said first half, said second half, and said trigger element; and wherein said trigger pivots about said pivot pin when said trigger-pull is pulled from said first position to said second position.
 6. A method of assembling and using a toy gun, the method comprising the steps: providing a first half of a gun frame of the toy gun, said first half comprising a slide cavity; inserting a slide into said slide cavity, said slide comprising a trigger cavity; inserting a trigger element within said trigger cavity; placing a second half of said gun frame over said slide and trigger element onto said first half of said gun frame; inserting a plurality of pins through said first half and said second half to secure said first half to said second half; inserting a pivot pin through said first half, trigger element, and said second half; placing a plurality of elastic projectiles between a front notch on a front end of said gun frame to a plurality of static notches on a rear end of said gun frame; pulling a trigger pull connected to said trigger element; forcing said slide rearwardly with said trigger element; adjusting said plurality of elastic projectiles upwardly such that a top one of said plurality of elastic projectiles is ejected forward away from said front notch; releasing said trigger pull; and returning said slide within said gun frame with said plurality of elastic projectiles remaining engaged with said gun frame.
 7. The method of claim 7, wherein said toy gun is modeled after a 9 mm handgun.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein said second half includes a recess configured to resemble an ejector. 